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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Revisiting a Classic: Thoovanathumbikal

There are certain movies which you like when you watch them for the first time, certain movies which grow on you every time you watch them and certain others which always intrigue you and every viewing of the movie only adds to the aura surrounding the movie. Padmarajan’s classic Thoovanathumbikal (1987 – Dragonflies in the Spraying Rain), based on his novel Udakappola, belongs to that rare category of cinema which is immensely intriguing and grows on you each time you watch it – there are probably so many interpretations and explanations to this story and every time you watch it, you discover a new angle to it.

When I first watched Thoovanathumbikal in the mid-90s, it did not make much sense to me and the only thing fascinating to me was Sumalatha and the music of the movie. (My lack of knowledge of Malaylam was also a hindrance, of course). After a few half baked attempts at watching the movie , I finally downloaded and watched it in entirety recently and I must confess, it swept me away. The romance, the complexity of the characters, the aura in Padmarajan’s script and the fabulous music kept me glued to the movie for a long time even after the movie had ended.

Thoovanathumbikal is a complex movie juxtaposing the characters of three strong willed protagonists – Jayakrishnan (Mohan Lal), Clara (Sumalatha) and Radha (Parvathy) – into the background of a small town in Thrissur. It explores the complex web of love, sex and jealousy that binds these three characters, as their lives clash.
Jayakrishnan is a young man who lives a double life – one as a big farmer in his village and the other as a quasi-hero in the town, where he has innumerable friends. He falls in love with Radha, only to be chided by her, assuming that he is just another flirt.

Later, through a friend (a character who technically qualifies to be a pimp but manages to evolve into a much more respectable soul in Padmarajan's hands), he meets Clara, a woman who wants to escape from the drudgery of poverty by turning into prostitution.
After being spurned by Radha, he finds solace in Clara’s arms and that develops into a fascinating relationship – a relationship which I must confess that has never been fully clear to me. Admired by his sincerity to love (Oru penkuttiyudeyum nashathinte thudakam ennuludi aavarthene enikkoru prarthana undaayirinnu, oru penkuttiydeyum virginity njan kaarnam illathavarthune enikku nirbandham aayirunnu, angane sambhavichal aa penkuuti aavum pinne angootu anthyam vere ente oppom undav njan oru shapatham aduthudayirunnu), she finds it difficult to reject his marriage proposal and so Clara just disappears from his life because, she does not want to spoil his life by becoming his wife as she has already become a sex-worker.

In the meanwhile, Radha learns more about Jayakrishnan and falls in love with him – his small town heroics and dual life serving as a strong attraction. Clara, however, continues to torment his thoughts and he is not able to commit fully to Radha when she decides to reciprocate his love. Eventually, Clara realizes that if their relationship is not terminated, it would destroy all their lives and so she gets married and bids a final adieu to Jayakrishnan’s and Radha’s life.

Jayakrishnan and Clara are unforgettably romantic and have a relationship which is hard to explain and understand. It is a relationship – unethical, unwelcomed by any society and unbelievable to a common audience - which any film maker will think twice before filming. Padmarajan gives it very strong romantic overtones, especially when compared to the other relationship with Radha.
The use of rain as a metaphor (explicitly mentioned and felt by the protagonist) creates a natural aura about their relationship and it acts invisibly in the background, driving their relationship. At every important point when they communicate or meet, it rains which slowly dries up as they move away. You know that their relationship carries clouds of uncertainty but it makes you ask for more.

Clara is undoubtedly one of the most interesting characters that I have seen in all these years of cinema. She is strong willed, free spirited and has no qualms in treading the path that she believes is the best one for her. She escapes from the crutches of a useless parental relationship by getting into prostitution and later on gets married to a widower, only to help Jayakrishnan. Now, such a character could typically be a sob story woman, with a strong element of pathos and sympathy underlying her character.
However, Padmarajan creates a Clara with whom you develop a sense of bonding, someone without stereotypical negative or depressive shades.

The fact that she’s actually a prostitute is not very explicitly portrayed and for the viewer, she remains a mystery woman. She remains independent till the end, capable of taking decisions fearlessly, without any sense of guilt - Enthayallum nashikkum, enna pinne anthasayittu nashichudde, aasha thirthu nashichudde. I wonder if men like this character because she represents a woman, who does not seek a commitment but is available at all times (ideal situation!!!).

Jayakrishnan and Radha have a Hide-and-Seek relationship which evolves as the film proceeds. She has strong faith in him and is willing to accept the nature of his relationship with Clara, as long as it remains in the past. But the ever lurking presence of Clara creates an element of doubt in their relationship and it requires Clara’s initiative to put that to rest. The film is pretty bold, without drawing any moral judgments on any of the characters and startles us with the independent ideas expressed. It is ironic that a movie 22 years back is so much more progressive than the current stuff being churned out.

While Padmarajan’s script is brilliant and the cast puts in a stellar performance, a special mention must also be given to the excellent music (songs as well as background music). The music has a character of its own and it creates a tension that is present throughout the movie. The performances are truly top-notch; Lal is absolutely brilliant as a confused young man, torn between his love for Clara and Radha while Sumalatha immortalizes the character of Clara. All these attributes come together to make Thoovanathumbikal a movie par excellence, which has withstood the passage of time and still weaves a magic among the viewers of Malayalam cinema.

Malayalam cinema is at cross roads now as it struggles to attract audience to theatres. The brilliance and intellect of the 70s and 80s and early 90s has been substituted by mindless mimicking of Tamil and Hindi cinema. We have never more acutely felt the loss of stalwarts like Padmarajan, Bharathan and Lohithadas than now and as I watch Thoovanathumbikal, the pain is so much more evident.

32 comments:

I have watched this movie umpteen times and have fallen more and more in love with Sumalathas character each time :). BTW This movie is based on a true incident that happened in the life of a friend of Padmarajan. Malayalam Cinema is really at the cross roads and audience really craves for this kind of movies however I feel this generation of directors and script writers are intellectually shallow and have only commercial focus.

@Nariyal Chutney: I did read somewhere that the movie was based on a true incident that happened in his friend's life. Come to think of it, Clara actually existed!!!I think there would be many who would want to know about the real her...

Very well indicated the complexities of the movie and the various interpretation available. Its been long since I watched that movie, but I do remember the scene after the first night with Sumalatha when Lal asks her, "Entho kondu adyame paranjilla ethu first time ennu". The way he asks and the way she responds are so very much captured by Padmarajan, that it is very difficult to explain. However, do you think Jayakrishnan had more lust ( have to agree with Sumalatha anyone would have) and guilt (coz he was the the first), which made him think he is love with Clara or did he really loves her. Remember, the night with Clara was first for her and not for Jayakrishnan. I would have assumed the satisfaction of something or just the lust or repentance that technically adds to his decision. While Clara's character is strong, Radha's can be described as a weaker one. the director could have done better there. In the movie, Radha never thinks or nor takes an initiative to know about pre-Clara's Jayakrishnan's time and what his values are. She just sees in him a childish sort of attraction which she indicates as love. Very hard for me to understand the concept there. In a society where virginity is considered sacred for both the partners before marriage, the director let it go subtle with Radha's character. Wny? May be a better incident where Jayakrishnan's qualities are highlighted to her and or some other strong reason had to be there. This correlates to what I perceived as a childish attraction towards JK.

However, I agree with you on the unique and strong character portrayed through Clara. She meets Jayakrishnan through need and not through love and she never gets that emotional with him. The director has made sure to convey the message properly and avoided the typical stereotype scenes where the heroine is dragged into the prostitution industry by force. This was a choice for Clara and even though not her ideal one, the better one according to her circumstances. I also like the way Clara is quiet most of the time sin the movie, giving her an edge over others.

Acting wise, none to beat Lal in the role of Jayakrishnan. Lal has portrayed the role in a smooth way leaving no path for criticism.

Again I am just trying to be the black sheep and criticize. However, the movie itself is a real gem and Padmarajan was really able to connect with the audience. After all his other movies are equally good ... The one that I like the most is Kariyila Kattu pole. The movie has a moderate screenplay, but the way the case has been put forth with not action scenes is brilliant. Kerala police has been highlighted in a very good way in the movie. I will try to write something up on that.

The night with Clara is the first for both of them. After the night, his friend Thangal asks him – Parayunna allkku athyayithattu aano and he says yes. He has never slept with anyone else till he meets Clara and he himself does not know why it happened. Though he was saving himself for the woman he would marry, he still committed himself to Clara that night, which could be because he was venti his feelinga against Radha for declining him. But slowly, the emotion of love (don’t think it is lust) overcome him and a sense of guilt also possibly for being responsible for a woman’s destruction…

Lal’s antics shown earlier in the movie creates a sense of aura around his character and Radha exhibits a fascination for his personality – whether it is love or not is debatable. She accepts him for what he is which is pretty bold and ahead of today’s times (not just the late 80s). But at the same time, she wants Clara to remain in the past and not come into their lives again, which explains a sense of insecurity that she feels as a woman who is scared of losing her love. Sometimes, we put too much of a premium on virginity but all the 3 characters are open to their past and do not hide it; probably Padmarajan’s sensibilities are translated into the characters of the people involved.

Chopsy... Good work... After reading the blog I also want to see it again.

Padmarajan was one of a kind.. Rather he is now too. He has brought the power of script writing to the front line. From his first movie Prayanam (I think)which was Bharathan's debut as director, malayalathinte Pappettan owned his own way of storytelling. Arguably the best in industry. After he started directing films also I don't think he has adapted somebody else's screenplay. He knew what he was and his ultimate intimacy with each character, no matter big or small, was really amazing. And no wonder if Thoovanathumpikal is based on real story. Each character is sooo real in that movie...He has shown how to handle sexuality in a movie without being vulgar. I cannot forget Bharathan's ability too in this area.

Try reading the book "Padmarajan Entay Gandharvan" written by his wife....

@Anonymous: This probably has to be interpreted in concurrence with the next line which goes something like 'Appol oru kanniyude bandhanathil kazhinjal mathi...'

The wound on the limbs of the lunatic has only a 'bandhanam' with the chain which binds it together. Similarly, she yearns to have a long lasting relationship with only one person but is unable to do so..

What a beautiful title for your article... I loved the word 'Uncertainty' here. Its because when you are certain about something or someone, there is every chance that you stop visiting or even stop thinking about it or them. But when you are uncertain, it keeps poking your mind everytime. That's exactly what is Padmarajan and this typical movie of his', "Thoovanathumbikal". Perhaps hundreds or even thousands of times, comments and reviews have been written over the years about this masterpiece, and so I do not have anything else to tell. But on your article... I need to salute you. I seriously doubt if a better one can be written about this topic, as you have most beautifully written, keeping up every soul this epic created. A very insightful article!I'm gonna bookmark this page and share it.

I happened to bump in to this post, but it is an excellent analysis of Thoovanathumbikal. I watched Pappettan's other classic again yesterday, "Namukku Parkkan...". He was a once-in-a-generation film maker.

Sujith, thanks for dropping by. The movie reflects the complexity of love - unfathomable but still the most cherished emotion that exists in this world. Through these unforgettable characters, Padmarajan explores love and makes us wonder the various shades that exist in it. Even I had ignored the movie for long, till one fine, I stumbled upon it and then it was a beautiful experience and since then I've been in search of all possible interpretations of the movie.

I gather that Clara believed that she was not worthy of Jayakrishnan and decided to move out of his life but at another level, it is possible that she's a wanderer and rejects the notions of marriage and family. Even though she marries to Soman at the end, I am not too sure whether there is a permanence even in that relationship. She's arguably one of the boldest and complex portrayals of women that you find in Malayalam cinema and while you may cast her as a woman of loose character or debauched in the hands of another director, here she becomes an embodiment of unattainable love that is so near yet so far.

chetta I am doing a research paper on "How stereotypes perpetuated throuh cinema". For the study I have taken Thoovanathumbikal. Could you please help me to identify the stereotypes perpetuated through this film

Hi Pradeep.....just heard and saw a small part of this movie couple of days back. I don't understand Malyallam, but my wife shared about this movie in detail and gave me this link. Read your views and story and seems this movie is a must watch. Now need another help, if I can somehow geta copy of this movie with english subtitles or maybe dubbed- english/hindi, it would be just gr8. Can you somehow help me get it.

Sameer, really nice to see somebody who does not understand the language take interest in a Malayalam movie...It is definitely a must-watch, though I cannot vouch for how it may sound with English sub-titles.

I am not too sure whether a sub-titled version is available for the movie. Drop me your email ID; will check a couple of Malayalam cinema buff friends and get back to you if such a copy exists. We don't unfortunately have a great track record in storing and saving copies of our movies, so am a little pessimistic about this but will let you know about it.

All the films of Padmarajan are different from one another.He wrote beautiful short stories describing newly wedded brides.He has shown as much accuracy in films too while describing young girls as done in his short stories.Namukku parkkan Munthirithoppukal is nother masterpiece of Padmarajan.Only now we realise the loss to the Malayalam film world when we lost Ramukarriat,Bharathan,Padmarajan etc.Er.KadamanasankarapillaiKrishnan.Kollam.

Thanks, Krishnan for dropping by..Yes, it is such a loss for Malayalam cinema that we lost people like Padmarajan, Bharathan, Lohithadas and many others so early. One of the reasons that Malayalam cinema finds itself in a quagmire with such a low quality of movies that it has been churning out..Times are changing now and hopefully, we will regain that thinking cinema tag again..

Beautifully said! Almost exactly what I have wanted to say about this movie!Everytime I watch it, the movie gives more room for thought. This kind of movie is rare. Its so beautiful it hurts.Every single character has a story of their own! The movie being set in my hometown just adds to the beauty of it. Can't believe the shi*t they call movies now! Reading this review at the right time.Brilliant. Thanks a lot! :) -Anna.

Thanks, Anna for dropping by. Thoovanathumbikal has a whole lot of nostalgia and meaning, esp for our generation born and brought up on Pappeettan's cinema - the more you watch it, the more you love it.

Disagree on the point of 'shi*t they call movies now' but will leave that as an individual perspective.

Excellent Pradeep...couldnt have a better review. This film is a tribute to watch for all reasons..every time you watch it...it throws many questions to your mind...it makes you think...it haunts you..and it amazes you. Great work by Padmarajan...Mohanlal...Sumalatha....n....Johnson.

I have heard a lot about this movie,when it was showing on asianet movies,just googled to read more about the movie. That's when I chanced upon your blog. Your review helped me understand the movie much better. Each character in the movie has been etched out beautifully.

About Me

The word’s LAKSHYA – That’s what I am searching for in my life.I would like to take "The Road Not Taken" but remain a dreamer in words and conformist in actions. I have an opinion on most things happening around and intend to use this blog to express them.